I think that part of this is just generic risk avoidance until we know more about the longterm effects of the disease. But part of it is also likely about not wanting to pay for enlistees’ health care.
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Like tRump’s personal valet? (please please please)
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The Pentagon has banned survivors of COVID-19 from enlisting in the military
Trump’s military has fallen for a hoax?
Republicans are weak on defense.
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Other articles on the topic don’t mention hospitalization as a delimiter, only that the recruit had the virus.
I was confused on this as well.
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I’m relying on the quote from the spokesperson in the article, agree that the memo doesn’t state that. So there’s probably some other language elsewhere that lays that out.
Looking at an image of the memo, it does NOT specify hospitalized.
It does specify anyone who tested positive or was diagnosed by a clinician as having had Covid19.
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This ban could cause a young person with symptoms to decide to not get tested to keep it off their record.
Speaking of, is having tested positive a pre-existing condition now for all of us?
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I think the interesting thing here is the tacit admission by the military that this virus is serious–even for young people. I think there is way too much emphasis placed on the fatality rate and not enough being said about other lingering effects on survivors. If more people knew of these things, I think it might put more of a scare in some people itching to fight the virus by getting everyone infected.
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I doubt there is a policy on COVID-19 survivors among current personnel, but in general the services seem to accommodate and/or reassign people who get sick or injured where possible. You might get a medical discharge if you apply for it or if your condition leaves you unable to serve, but an awful lot of wounded veterans – even those who have lost limbs – have been able to go on serving over the last two decades.
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A Pentagon spokeswoman confirmed the document is authentic, describing the ban to TPM as “interim.”
A permanent policy is currently being developed, the spokeswoman told TPM.
This is the real story. They have no plan right now, so are banning enlistment to buy time to figure out what they are going to do.
This is not going to last a very long time.
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I believe it’s safe to say that Trump’s had a lot of experience with “exposure to viruses”.
(If you know what I mean, and I think you do.)
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Yes, they do not know the health status of survivors.
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Won’t work. The induction process will test them.
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Either the government isn’t telling us something really important about the effects of Covid-19 on young people or there is a hyper cautious command staff. Either way it says a lot about the Trump administration.
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It would be very wrong of me to receive that as exceptionally hopeful news. Fortunately, I am a bad person.
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And he hasn’t tweeted since 11:16 AM yesterday morning, right around when he would have been hearing the news…
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But it’s only the flu!
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Yes! Paging Rand Paul…! 
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I am thinking that this ban is an admission that the DoD does not have enough tests and does not know if or when they will get them. They can’t/won’t just say we have no tests and no idea how or when we will get them or if the tests we do eventually get will be accurate.
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